I feel like I'm trapped in the Harry Potter chapter with the Weasley Twins : U No Poo! This has been my only dilemma for a long while. Am trying my absolute BEST to keep my walking up to 45min. a day, Water everytime my hands are empty :) AND FIBER with every meal! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, as I am practically clueless as to WHY this happens more than occassionally.

It's Summer and I am trying to immerse myself daily in the pursuit of fluid...intake that is. The hardest habit by far is to get that  "at least" amount IN everyday!!! Why is it so hard? WHY is it sooo very necessary? Let me just tell you, personally, IF I DON'T get this amount in daily I am HUNGERY, SLUGGISH and HEADACHEY...horrible. Dehydration is a constant threat and NOT just in the summer months. So drink up! You can sip a lot more than you think, a lot faster than you give yourself credit for! Your house should resemble that scene from the movie "Signs" with Mel Gibson...every surface covered with half-full and empty glass :) If your water does contain a hair (or contaminates) get a fresh one, or a zero calorie drink. It'll do you good!

I know, I know...it's a poker term, but HEY! It fits...weight loss surgery IS a gamble, that pays off! That is, if you're willing to Ante Up.

I have lost four lbs. in a week, making GOOD food choices, and exercising and moving, moving, moving (park faaaaaarrr away at Wal-Mart,etc.) It sounds crazy but I am just determined to RELAX about this whole thing and darn it if it hasn't paid off. That's not to say I have become complacent or lax in continually striving to make better food choices, or increaseing my exercise. On the contrary, I have become more determined, more focused...but it has become purpose-driven!

You don't win in poker without putting something EXTRA in the pot, and in Life it's the same thing, without an extra re-assement, or an extra dose of confidence or...whatever, you won't win. You gotta ante up. 'Nuff said.

I can hardly believe it has been FOUR months since my last post! Just atrocious! Yet, here I am...finally. Not unscathed mind you, it's been five weeks of pure HELL. Sinus Infection, Flu, Bronchitis, Double Ear Infection, Conjunctivitis...I honestly have been like the walking dead! So, what was not so much suprising but inevitable, weight gain.

Eight pounds of weight gain! As of today I weigh 165lbs.

Admittedly I WAS sick, but I didn't care to take care of what I ate on the road to health. I have now become a carb/sugar addict again and am more ashamed than I could ever express...why? WHY!!!!? I have no one to blame but myself, poor choices show up on the scale immediately, and now I have to work twice as hard to get back to not only where I was pound-wise, but habitually and mentally.

So a word of caution my friends, and learn from my sadly common tale. That a if you don't plan ahead for success, plan on not succeeding ahead of schedule :) ALL ENCOURAGEMENT WOULD BE APPRECIATED AT THIS TIME :(

I have been really down on myself as of recently. My weight is seemingly not budging, I am visited nightly by the "Wheat Thins" Monster and on top of it all I have just NOT been satisfied by my "non-traditional" Xmas goodies (Cheddar slice anyone?)

So, the other day I decided enough is enough...time to take this lousy attitude out on the road and POUND it out (I've taken up running...though in all honesty I STILL WALK quite a bit more than I run!)

I live in a college town and can usually count on having to "wade" thru student pedestrians before I hit "open concrete." Well, just as I was getting ready to use the crosswalk in front of the University a mob of BOYS came up from behind and waited with me for the light to change. Now, I call them BOYS because in all honesty, (I COULD BE THEy'RE FREAKIN' MOTHER) they could NOT have been a day past twenty. Anyway as I start across and get going I hear what is supposed to be a furtive whisper, "Nice ass." I glanced behind me totally shocked as I come face to face with an adorable, albeit "non-repentant for his comments" BOY and his buddy!

Lousy attitude GONE INSTANTLY! He grinned I grinned his buddy grinned...how's that for some holiday goodwill :) I will NOT be eating Wheat Thins in bed this week, I have a fan (or two?) I wouldn't want to dissappoint!